Make your own templates for the "Create Document" menu in Ubuntu

Like with most things in computing, there are usually several different ways to solve a problem. Some people do things one way, othersprefera completely different approach. Personally, when I was a Windows guy, I rarely used the function where you right-click to create a new blank document in a folder. When I moved to Linux, I never even noticed that Ubuntu doesn’t include any templates for the “Create Document” menu. Recently, someone pointed out the lack of these templates and asked me for advice on what to do. The answer is actually quite simple.

Each new user in Ubuntu has a default set of folders created for them in their home folder. One of those folders is called “Templates.” Anything you put into the Templates folder will automatically show up as an option when you right-click in the file manager or your desktop and choose “Create Document.” This is actually rather nice, because it means that you can make your own custom templates.

For example, if you wanted a custom OpenOffice document with your company logo at the top, you simply create a new document in OpenOffice and save it to your Templates folder. This can be repeated for many different types of documents as you like.

What kind of templates do you keep in your Templates folder? Share your ideas in the comments below!

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Starry Hope is a site about technology with a focus on open source software and Linux based operating systems. I try to post helpful information for others as I solve problems in the process of my work and play with computers. Be sure to subscribe to my RSS Feed or follow me on YouTube and Twitter.-- Jim Mendenhall